Delhi: Before murder on tape, gang made failed bid

Five people apprehended on Wednesday after CCTV footage showed them stabbing a 19-year-old to death in Madangir central market had also planned to kill a local criminal, who was their prime target, investigation has revealed.

Five people apprehended on Wednesday after CCTV footage showed them stabbing a 19-year-old to death in Madangir central market had also planned to kill a local criminal, who was their prime target, investigation has revealed.

The five attackers intended to kill local criminal Mayur Deva, who was allegedly extorting money from the group. After failing to kill their main target, they turned towards Sachin, 19, reportedly an associate of Deva, police sources said.

The youth had opened fire at Deva’s in-laws house in the south Delhi neighbourhood when he was having lunch with his wife Neeru.

Though three bullets were fired at him, Deva survived the attack and fled the house with his wife, who locked the door from inside. His brother-in-law Kaale overpowered two of the attackers and stopped them from entering the house, police said.

“Having failed to kill their prime target Deva, the five planned to murder Sachin, an associate of Deva,” said a senior investigating officer in the case.

“Sachin used to extort ‘protection’ money from the accused while Deva was in Tihar jail in a robbery case. Deva had been released on bail last Friday and continued to trouble the five youths by blackmailing them for money,” the officer added.

The five planned to get rid of their problems by killing the troublemakers, he said.

All the five youths – reported to be school dropouts – were apprehended after their brutal attack on Sachin was captured on CCTV installed in a shop at the market.

The victim had sustained 15 stab wounds in the attack that lasted for around a minute.

On Thursday, police said only three of the five accused were juveniles. All the five accused had initially claimed to be minors on Wednesday.

The two adult accused on Thursday were produced before a Delhi court that sent them to Tihar jail for 14 days. The three accused minors were produced before a juvenile justice board and were sent to correction home for boys.